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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on May 3, 2008 13:07:13 GMT -5
Pictures of my chickens...  This is a good representative picture. We got Bella the little bantum in the back right, the sex links are (female?) yellow and (male?) black, then the Plymouth Rock of which we have 15.  Here's a bad picture. But it shows (what I think) is a hen , and cock . Notice the difference in coloring.  Again, what I think are the 4 hens, bottom center two, one right in the middle and one at the very top center.  They are about twice this size now, as these pictures are several weeks old. I am going to get on that chicken tractor soon. I'm trying to decide how many chickens to build for. If I'm right about the 4 hens, then I have those plus the one sex linked hen, and we don't know what the bantam is yet. Do I build it and plan on 6 hens, or build it for 10 or 12 in anticipation of future hens... Can I keep a Plym Rock rooster and the sex-link rooster, or will they fight? If so, should I keep the Plym rock rooster, or the sex-link rooster. And what if Bella's little banty is a rooster? I assume it will have to be separated, or can it be the rooster for all the hens? I'm chicken-ignorant.  Patrick |
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gopher
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Post by rena on May 3, 2008 14:37:31 GMT -5
Aren't they adorable? I love your pics. I would make the tractor as big as you can. I am already talking about more The hardest thing has been finding Organic food. Finally we found some in Virginia and went ahead and got a pallet so that we could save on shipping. They love apples and strawberries and my toes for that matter. They have little brains but they are so funny to watch. |
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Post by johno on May 4, 2008 9:57:56 GMT -5
I got some new chickens! My SIL bought pullets and raised them until they were big enough to do without heat lamps. We bought ten from her. I'll have to ask again what the breeds are... but three different kinds. There will be pictures as soon as I figure out how to transfer files from my new camera...
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Post by flowerpower on May 5, 2008 5:09:28 GMT -5
Patrick, better that the tractor be a little too big than too small. Barred Rocks are good sized birds. As for separating the Roos, Blue should be able to give you some advice on that.
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Post by flowerpower on May 13, 2008 21:03:40 GMT -5
Well, I am supposed to get my birds tomorrow-finally. The store says they will be here. I didn't feel so bad when someone told me TSC delayed their birds 8 weeks, til July.
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Post by flowerpower on May 15, 2008 10:18:05 GMT -5
Here are my new girls. All 15 were alive and healthy. The 15 count straight run had 2 fatalities. I think they were warned I would be even more bitchy (if that's possible) if any more problems occurred.   |
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Post by plantsnobin on May 15, 2008 12:07:16 GMT -5
I don't know about the delays in your area, but I think that supply problems may stem from the fact that a lot more people are starting to keep a few chickens for their own egg supply. Sales of day old chicks are supposed to be way up. Even folks living a town can manage to squeeze in a hen or three without too much trouble. Too bad so many short-sighted cities ban them. People really should protest.
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on May 15, 2008 14:42:17 GMT -5
My chicken tractor is underway. I "decided" due to the size wood I had on hand, to make it 10'x16' and about 6' tall. It's an A-frame style. The coop will be on the end, and I think I'll make it square to allow more floor area. I'll get some pics posted when it is a little further along (and not raining).
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Post by flowerpower on May 15, 2008 21:07:24 GMT -5
Karen, one of the larger hatcheries had problems this yr also. So that just added to the supply/demand dilemma. But I do see alot of my neighbours getting birds this yr. I hear one got 150. I guess he is putting most in the freezer. I know he cannot fit that many in his barn.
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Post by plantsnobin on May 23, 2008 6:27:58 GMT -5
Not quite sure what happened yesterday-Harley the dog got out about 8, we were headed to kindergarten graduation at 8:30. I was putting him up, Fred the neighbor came over and said that he saw traffic slow down, he looked and the rooster had been hit. Said he was in the middle of the road, but staggered off under a tree and then disappeared. So, I have to go to graduation, left and when we got back there was a hen dead in the road. Wasn't there when we left for sure. And Fred was sure it was the rooster that got hit earlier. So, I go to water in the greenhouse, there are chicken feathers everywhere, and things turned over. Harley is still in his cage, so I know he isn't responsible for this one. Rooster is under the rabbit cages all day, missing a few feathers from his chest and just sitting there. Later, I am working in the garden and there is a dead robin on the concrete bench under the apple tree. Very strange. I don't know what was after all the fowl yesterday. Rooster was seen last night humping a hen, so I guess he will be ok....
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on May 24, 2008 22:32:06 GMT -5
So hit by car; humping the next day = ok?
Maybe it's like "The Birds".
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Post by plantsnobin on May 25, 2008 7:44:22 GMT -5
He was humping same day, maybe the endorphine rush cured him, because after that he seemed back to his old self. Did you get your chicken tractor done yet Patrick? And how is the new job? We are going to have to build something else for all the chickens we have now. I haven't decided exactly what that is going to be. I do know that free range chickens and strawberry season do not mix.
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Post by hoosierheightsfarm on May 25, 2008 21:08:17 GMT -5
Haven't got the tractor done yet.
New job is going ok. Just been there a couple of days. Still getting in the groove.
The chickens are getting big, so I have to get that tractor done soon.
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Post by flowerpower on May 26, 2008 5:46:21 GMT -5
Karen, I see the wild strawberries flowering here. The hens left us a few last yr. lol My BF was trying to give the pigs a snack (blueberry pancakes) yesterday morning. One of the birds grabbed one and ran off. It was quite the sight watching him chase the hen to get it back. As for me, I just LAUGHED. lol
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Post by plantsnobin on May 26, 2008 7:01:29 GMT -5
Chickens are good for entertainment, that's for sure. My loner hen follows me around in the flower garden, knowing that me out working equals worms for her. I end up digging a hole even if I didn't need one, just so she can get some worms. She's pretty insistent. I don't mind her eating a few strawberries, just wish she would eat the whole thing instead of just a little peck.
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